Public hearings schedule next week on Smith Farm property, Monroe master plan

MONROE-There will be two public hearings next week on land and growth issues in the town of Monroe. The first, scheduled for Wednesday, June 29, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mombasha Fire Station on Route 17M, is for the Smith Farm subdivision. The proposal calls for the development of 181 houses on land located off Gilbert Street across from the ShopRite Plaza. The second, scheduled for Thursday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the Monroe Senior Center, is for the Town of Monroe's updated Master Plan. According to information provided by the Monroe Conservation Commission, "The future of the Town of Monroe is taking shape. The Conservation Commission urges you to attend the upcoming public hearing regarding the comprehensive update to the Master Plan, which sets forth a road map for the town and its future growth. This may be the only opportunity the community has to comment on the proposed update to the Master Plan before it is adopted by the Town Board. Come prepared with your questions and comments." A copy of the updated master plan may be viewed at the Town and all village halls or by logging on to www.monroeny.org/documents/MASTER4.pdf. The plan covers: parks and recreation, affordable housing, quality of life issues, open space, natural resource preservation, traffic, infrastructure, transportation and residential and commercial zoning. It also contains: future vision and goals, a financial plan and a plan for land use. The Town of Monroe Conservation Committee is John Ebert, William Hodges Mary Bingham, Robert O'Neill and Audra Schwartz.